Sheet cutting and handling machine



Aug. 20, 1929. H. M. BARBER SHEET CUTTING AND HANDLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1927 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD M. BARBER, OF PAWCATUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T C. B. COTTRELL & SONS COMPANY, OF WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SHEET CUTTING AND HANDLING MACHINE.

Application filed December 17, 1927.

In sheet cutting and handling machines where the sheets are cut on the square from a traveling web of thin or loosely woven fabric such, for instance, as burlap and where the sheets are fed to a sheet taking means by a horizontally arranged endless carrier trayeling at a slightly higher rate of speed than the speed of travel of the web, the first cut portion of each sheet will be fed ahead faster by the carrier than the last out portion and an inaccurate feeding of the sheet to the sheet taking means, results. To overcome this fault I provide means for squaring the sheets as they are being cut from the traveling web and just as they reach their sheet taking means; said sheet squaring means comprising a horizontally disposed squaring bar around which the web is passed on its way to the sheet taking means, said squaring bar overlying and disposed diagonally with respect to the sheet feeding carrier and coacting therewith to cause one side of the web as it passes from the cutting means to the sheet taking means, to travel farther than the other side of the web so that the leading edge of the web will be slightly distorted after it passes under the sheet squaring bar and will be brought back to its squared position parallel to the sheet taking means as the sheet is severed from the web and just as the leading edge of the sheet is grasped by the sheet taking means.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings as applied to a rotary printing press, in which Fig. 1 represents in side elevation so much of a sheet cutting and handling machine as will give a clear understanding of my inshown grasped by the grippers of the sheet taking means and its tail end severed from the web.

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line IIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows the leading edge of the web being shown in dotted lines in the position it assumes as it falls on to theendless tape carrier; in dot-and-dash lines in the distorted position it assumes on its Way from the squaring bar to the grippers of the sheet taking means before the sheet is severed from the web; and in double vention, the leading edge of the sheet being Serial No. 240,740.

dot-and-dash lines in the squared position which the leading edge of the sheet assumes parallel to the grippers of the sheet taking means as the cutting of the sheet from the web has been completed and the sheet is grasped by the said grippers.

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged detail section showing one of the squaring bar adjusting side bars and its connection with the squaring bar and frame.

The machine frame is denoted by 1. The sheet taking means is herein shown as an impression cylinder 2 of a rotary printing press, said cylinder having a set of grippers 3 for taking the advance edge of the sheet. The traveling web 4 is shown as passing around the rolls 5 and 6 and the web feeding roll 7 and over the guide 8 to the sheet cutting means, which cutting means is herein shown as coacting rotary and stationary cutters 9 and 10, the rotary cutter being of the usual spiral type for imparting a shearing action to sever the sheet on the square from the web. The means for feeding the sheets to the sheet taking means is herein shown as a horizontally arranged endless tape carrier 11 which is driven at .a slightly greater rate of speed than the speed of the traveling web.

A diagonally disposed horizontal squaring bar 12 is located between the said sheet feeding carrier and the sheet cutting means and the sheets pass around the bar between it and thesheet feeding carrier in frictional engagement with the bar. The ends of this bar are loosely mounted on the forward screwthreaded ends of a pair of longitudinal side bars 13,13,which side bars are,in turn, loosely mounted in brackets 14, 14 and have screwthreaded engagement with brackets 15, 15 carried by the machine frame 1. The screwthreaded forward ends of these side bars are provided with nuts 16, 16, engaging the front and back faces of the squaring bar for holding it in its proper adjustment on the side bars. The rear ends of these side bars are provided with suitable handles 17, 17 for manipulating them.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The leading edge of the web when it strikes the endless tape carrier is parallel with the out and with the grippers on the impression cylinder. As the web is passed under the squaring bar by the tape carrier one side of Cal the web will take up the slack in the web back to the cutter 10, and will, due to the speed of the tape carrier 11, therefore be caused to travel a greater distance than the other side on its way from the cutters to the sheet taking grippers because of the diagonal position of the squaring bar. This will cause the lead ing edge of the web to be brought out of par allelism with the cutter and the grippers before the sheet is severed from the web. The tape carrier which travels at a speed faster than that of the web will bring the leading edge of the sheet back into parallelism with the sheet taking grippers just as the sheet is being cut from the web and the squaring operation is completed ust as the grippers grasp the sheet and the severing of the sheet is completed.

It will also be seen that the position and the angularity of the squaring bar may be very accurately adjusted while the machine is in operation, by the manipulation of one or both of the longitudinal adjustable side bars.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence, I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but

What I claim is 1. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from a traveling web, sheet feeding means between said cutting and taking means and sheet squaring means overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the sheet feeding means and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being severed from the web for ensuring the presentation of the leading edge of the sheet parallel to the sheet taking means.

2. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from a traveling web, sheet feeding means between said cutting and taking means and sheet squaring bar overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the sheet feeding means and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being severed from the web for ensuring the pres entation ot' the leading ed ge oi the sheet parallel to the sheet taking means.

3. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from .a traveling .web, sheet feeding means between said cutting and taking means,

a sheet squaring'bar overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the sheet feeding means and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being severed from the web for ensuring the-presentation of theleading edge of the sheet parallel to the sheet taking means, and means for positioning and adjusting the angularity of said squaring bar.

4. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from a traveling web, sheet feeding means between said cutting and taking means, a sheet squaring bar overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the sheet feeding means and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being severed from the web for ensuring the presentation of the leading edge of the sheet parallel to the sheet taking means, and means for position ing and adjusting the angularity of said squaring bar, including a pair of longitudinally adjustable side bars.

. 5. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from a traveling web, a horizontally arranged endless carrier between said cutting and taking means for feeding the sheets to the sheet taking means, and a horizontally arranged sheet squaring bar overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the endless carrier and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being severed from the web for ensuring the presentation of the leading edge of the sheet parallel to the sheet taking means.

6. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from a traveling web, a horizontally arranged endless carrier between said cutting and taking. means for feeding the sheets to the sheet taking means, a horizontally arranged squaring bar overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the endless carrier and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being'severed from the web for ensuring the presentation of the leading edge of the sheet parallel to the sheet taking means, and means for positioning and adjusting the angularity of said squaring bar.

7. A sheet taking means, means for cutting sheets from a traveling web, a horizontally arranged endless carrier between said cutting and taking means for feeding the sheets to the sheet taking means, a horizontally arranged squaring bar overlying and diagonally disposed with respect to the endless carrier and coacting therewith to square the leading edge of a sheet as it is being severed from the web for ensuring the presentation of the lead ing edge of the 'sheet parallel to the sheet taking means, and means for positioning and adjusting the angularity of said squaring bar, including a pair of longitudinally adjustable side bars.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this 14th day of December A. D., 1927.

HOWARD M. BARBER. 

